Christmastime is here.

Every year, we gather around our Christmas trees and celebrate a wonderful holiday. One that brings together friends and family otherwise separated by distance. Or maybe drama. We celebrate a holiday that promises new hope. For some, that hope is Jesus Christ. For others, Santa Clause. But no matter who, what or how you celebrate Christmas—the holiday itself is a reminder that life is worth living with every ounce of ooomph you've got. Life is worth sharing, too. With family (no matter what), with friends...and even with foes.

So, too are the gifts we've so carefully wrapped and placed beneath our Christmas Trees. They are, typically speaking, very materialistic things. But those things remind us of and represent the love and appreciation we have for each other. And it's that love that makes us all feel good inside.

And it's that feeling we should all capture as it propels us into the final days of the year. Days that prep us for the start of another.

When it comes to Christmas, I have very fond memories of time well spent with family. My sister and I are well past the toy stage, but that doesn't mean we've grown up. Santa still brings us presents. Rudolph does, too. And every year, we plot ways to wake up our parents as early as we used to. Now, we have significant others that like to help.

And now, we have the families of those significant others with which we get to celebrate, too.

We'll never stop growing up in terms of Christmas, my sister and I. But really, it's more about never letting that Christmas spirit die. That hope and love. And it's about never forgetting the memories we've made. One of my favorites:


Although I don't exactly remember the day itself, I will always remember these photos from my very first Christmas. That's my Dziadzia (translation: Grandpa), and I am about one month old—totally and completely oblivious to Christmas despite the cute little Santa outfit, but completely fascinated by whatever it is he had been saying to me.

Still, to this day, I love chatting with him.

Hard to believe that he'll soon be able to hold my own little munchkin.

If only Baby had come in time for Christmas.
I would have had the perfect outfit for it:

Hard to believe that I ever fit into that tiny little onesie. Harder yet to believe that I'm about to give birth to my own child, who might fit into that same tiny little onesie.

It truly is a wonderful life, no?
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays!